Daily Uses:
- Added to soft drinks (e.g., colas) as a flavoring and preservative.
- Used in dental etchants to prepare teeth for fillings.
- Found in rust removers and fertilizer production.
Application Fields:
- Beverages, fertilizers, metal treatment, pharmaceutics.
Synthesis Method:
- Wet process: React phosphate rock (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). \(Ca_3(PO_4)_2 + 3H_2SO_4 \rightarrow 2H_3PO_4 + 3CaSO_4\)
- Thermal process: Burn phosphorus (P₄) to form P₄O₁₀, then hydrate it. \(P_4 + 5O_2 \rightarrow P_4O_{10}; \quad P_4O_{10} + 6H_2O \rightarrow 4H_3PO_4\)